Rip Van Winkle

"Rip Van Winkle" was written by Washington Irving (1783-1859), a lawyer who pursued a writing career after he discovered that practicing law did not interest him. At a time when most Americans read British authors almost exclusively, Irving proved that American writers could compete with their British counterparts. He was among the first American writers who gained an international reputation by writing short stories. Irving had a special talent for creating a magical, fairytale quality in his tales–notably "Rip Van Winkle" and "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow"–and thus helped shape the folklore of early America. His elegant writing style, full of gentle humor and vivid descriptions, continues to enchant modern readers. It is likely that his engaging stories will remain popular for ages to come.
By Michael J. Cummings...© 2006

As you read, look for the following:

• personification of natural setting ( and think about how that is representative of Romanticism)
• the theme of change with continuity/preservation of tradition
• the role of Dame Van Winkle in this story: how she is portrayed, how her character helps bring Rip's character to light, the historical parallels...

Write a good body paragraph, complete with topic sentence and specifics from the story. Choose one of the three topics above. Formulate a topic sentence and prove it. Due Monday.